Facebook: We’re ‘Very Focused’ on Putting Ads in Newsfeeds (CNET)
Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg and investor Marc Andreessen again made the case for the social networking giant’s opportunity in the mobile market, saying advertising on smartphones and tablets is the company’s primary focus. The two, speaking Tuesday during an interview with Charlie Rose at the Advertising Week conference in New York, dismissed concerns that Facebook is struggling and said it’s making strides in mobile. CNBC The social network is trotting out advertising executives from across the organization to pitch to ad buyers and brands that Facebook ads work. The company is sharing the results of studies, and talking about how it closely targets users, which means potentially better ad results and potential privacy concerns. The New York Times Sandberg played down the company’s falling stock price, saying the ethos of the West Coast meant that the company had already moved on. “While certainly people were disappointed, you know, Silicon Valley companies, we cycle quickly,” she said. “We iterate so quickly, and so we’re pretty good at moving forward. We launch products. Some of them work. We launch the next product.” AllFacebook Facebook recently redesigned its help center in an effort to get answers quicker to the people who need them. The homepage now has six major topics: privacy basics, what’s new, report an issue, timeline, safety and games and apps. Mashable Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview on NBC’s Today set to air on Thursday that he lives a “simple” life and proudly wears the same thing every day. Zuckerberg — who has appeared on GQ and Esquire‘s worst-dressed list in 2011 — confessed in an interview taped last week with Today host Matt Lauer that he owns “maybe about 20″ identical grey T-shirts.

LinkedIn’s Influencer Program Lets You Follow Thought Leaders Without Sending a Request (SocialTimes)
For years, LinkedIn has been an exclusive club where only people who are colleagues in real life (or who are open to requests from strangers) can connect in a professional setting. Tuesday, LinkedIn announced a new program that gives users access to news and updates from 150 top professionals, including LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney, to name a few. San Francisco Chronicle Regular LinkedIn members can follow and share those posts even if they don’t have a direct connection. “When those outside ideas are then shared with a member’s inner network, and that dynamic is replicated across LinkedIn, previously untapped business intelligence has the chance to reach an audience of millions, and subsequently expand the collective knowledge of professionals throughout the world,” Weiner said in a statement. Business Insider LinkedIn will use its algorithms and human editors to help decide what you see. The idea is to only show you stuff you’ll be interested in based on the stories you already share and the skills and experience listed in your LinkedIn profile.

Nintendo’s North America President Expects Wii U’s Killer App to be Social Networking (AllThingsD)
The small tablet that comes with Nintendo’s Wii U, used as a game controller or to change the TV station and watch videos, is the most obvious distinguishing feature of the new game console. But in an interview, Nintendo North American President Reggie Fils-Aime said he believes the Miiverse, the game console’s social network, will be the unexpected hit.

Social Media Hones Cynical Edge in Presidential Politics (NBCNews.com)
This is the first presidential election in which social media will play a mainstream role, and it’s important to remember not everything is as it seems online. While social media may appear to offer unfettered, uncontrollable discussion of candidates and their positions, the campaigns are hard at work learning how to manipulate the tools to their advantage. CNN It started as an e-card, became a post on a Obama campaign blog, and eventually became fodder for conservative websites. “Vote like your lady parts depend on it,” the meme said, which has since been deleted from the Obama for America Tumblr blog.

Twitter Campaign Tells Supreme Court That #MurderIsBad in Shell Case (The Daily Dot)
The case of Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, where it will generate thousands of words’ worth of legal briefs and commentary. Yet in the court of public opinion known as Twitter, the issue boils down to eleven letters and a hashtag: “#MurderIsBad.”

Police in Seattle ‘Tweet By Beat’ (AllTwitter)
Seattle police are using Twitter to bring safety alerts to the next level. With Tweets by Beat, you can follow or view a Twitter feed of police dispatches in each of Seattle’s 51 police beats, and find out about the flashing lights and sirens on your block.

Oreo Crowdsources its Final ‘Daily Twist’ Ad Live in Times Square (Adweek)
Oreo concluded its “Daily Twist” campaign live in Times Square on Tuesday, as Draftfcb and 360i creatives working in a glass box whipped up the last of 100 daily ads, with the final topic — the anniversary of the first high five — being suggested and upvoted by consumers through social media. Conceptually strong and often executionally brilliant, the Daily Twist campaign — part of Oreo’s yearlong 100th birthday celebration — has been a huge crowd-pleaser online.

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